Improvement in car-couplings



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Gar-Couplings.

Patented September 9,1873.

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THOMAS MEIKLE AND JAMES W. MEIKLE,

OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 142,713, datedSeptember v9, 1873; application filed January 8, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS and JAMES W. MEIKLE, of Louisville, -in thecounty of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented a certainImprovement in Oar-Gouplings, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to that class of carcouplings in which the pin ispermanently attached in such a manner that it can automatically lock anentering link. The pin is suspended from a lever upon the top of thedrawhead, and when struck by an advancing link iirst swings back andthen rises, together with the free end ofthe lever, until the end of thelink has passed beyond the pin, when the latter drops and couples thelink. The principal feature of our improvement consists in soconstructing and connecting the parts that the coupling-pin, afterhaving been lifted by the lever entirely out of the draw-head, can beturned upon its pivot to reach with its end beyond the slot in the topof the draw-head, and then supported thereon to prevent its engaging anentering link. This feature is of vital importance in the practicalapplication of car-couplings of this kind; for it is of daily and hourlyoccurrence that cars are brought together which it is not desirable tocouple together.

Figure l is a plan view of our improved coupling. Fig. 2 isa sectionalelevation of two draw-heads and adj uncts coupled together by a link.Fig. 3 illustrates the construction of the coupling-pin and itsconnection with the lever. Fig. 4 shows the manner of supporting thecoupling-pin upon the top of the draw-head.

The same letters of reference are employed in all the figures in thedesignation of identical parts.

The draw-head A is provided with a long low cavity having the usualflaring mouth to facilitate the entrance of the link B. `Thecoupling-pin C plays in elongated apertures c and a in the top andbottom of the drawhead, and is pivoted to the lever D in such a mannerthat when the link draws upon the pin it will bear against the forwardedges or ends of the slots a and a, so that no strain shall come uponthe bolt d, connecting the lever and the pin. The head of the pin mayeither enter a slot in the lever or be attached to the side thereof. Itis constructed with a shoulder, c, formed at the junction of the headand shank of the pin, at such distance from the center of the bolt dthat the pin can have only a limited movement independent of lthe lever,by reason of the shoulder c coming in contact with the under side of thelever when both will move together, and rise in the arc of a circledescribed over the fulcrum of the lever; thus the descent of thecoupling-pin will be aided by the weight'of the lever. The pin can beelevated by the lever D above the top of the draw-head, and then swungbackward and supported on the draw-head back of the slot a, as clearlyshown in Fig. 4. The

lever is pivoted to the draw-head forward of l the pin, so that the armby which it is operated may be made of considerable length to afford thenecessary leverage upon the pin for raising it when the link is pullingupon it.

Suitable devices may be attached to the arm d of the lever for operatingit, to raise the coupling-pin-for the purpose of releasing the link,either from side or from the top of the car.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

The draw-head A in combination with the pin O and lever D, when thefulcrum of the lever is forward of the pin, and the latter has ashoulder, c, to lift the lever on the entrance of a link, and is soconstructed and connected that it can be elevated above and supportedupon the draw-head, as described and shown.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification inthe presence of f two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS MEIKLE. JAMES W. MEIKLE.

Vitnesses E. GARLAND, JAMES KrEwAN.

